1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protectors for wire harnesses, and more particularly, the invention improves lock parts of a protector in which a main body and a lid body are joined and locked.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, wire harnesses that are routed in vehicles are covered with resin-molded protectors in the required areas to protect the electrical wires of the wire harnesses from external interference materials and the like, and to regulate directions of the electrical wires. This type of protectors normally includes a main body and a lid body. The main body and the lid body are joined and locked while a wire harness is passed therethrough.
As an example of a lock structure of the above-described protectors, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication H6-86425 (Related Art 1) discloses the lock structure of a protector 1 shown in FIG. 7. The protector 1 includes a main body 2 and a lid body 3 both having a semiannular shape. The main body 2 and the lid body 3 are connected via a thin-walled hinge part 4 at a first end side thereof, while a lock claw 5 that is provided in an outer surface of a second end side of the main body 2 engages with a lock frame 6 that is provided in an outer surface of the second end side of the lid body 3. Thereby, the main body 2 and the lid body 3 are joined and locked.
In the lock structure described in Related Art 1, the lock claw 5 projects from the outer surface of the main body 2, and the lock frame 6 from the outer surface of the lid body 3 of the protector 1. Therefore, when the main body 2 and the lid body 3 are joined and locked, the lock part projects from an outer peripheral surface of the protector 1 that is mounted to form an annular shape. Consequently, the protector 1 becomes bulky and could be unlocked when the lock part thereof interferes with external members. In addition, when a wire harness that is inserted through the protector 1 presses the lid body 3 to expand outwardly, the lock frame 6 is caused to bend outwardly. Consequently, the lock claw 5 possibly disengages from the lock frame 6.
Related Art 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication H6-86425
A purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems. In the present invention, lock parts of a protector do not project outwardly, and therefore the size of the protector is reduced. In addition, the lock parts are prevented from interfering with external members, and engagement force of the lock parts is improved.